District 17 opponents to face off in general election

Laura Fine (left) and Kathy Myalls (right) are running to represent the 17th district in the Illinois state House (Laura Fine Handout and Kathy Myalls Handout)

Republican Kathy Myalls is challenging incumbent Democratic state Rep. Laura Fine in the November election for a seat in the 17th District of the state House.

Both have no opponents in the March primary in a district that covers the village of Golf and parts of Glenview, Northbrook, Wilmette, Evanston, Skokie and Morton Grove.

Myalls, who has worked as a lawyer for about 27 years, said her concerns with the state's tax climate and pension problem sparked her to run for office.

"The state is in trouble, and I feel like I can contribute something," said Myalls, 51. "I've been sitting on the sidelines long enough."

Fine, who grew up in Glenview and now lives there, took office in January 2013 and is in her first term as the state representative.

She said the past year has been a learning experience for her and she hopes to continue to represent the residents in her district.

"I'm flattered and honored to be able to have this position," she said.

Fine, 47, has two children, Jeremy, 17, and Jacob, 14, and has previously served as Northfield Township's clerk and taught political science at Northeastern Illinois University.

Reflecting on her first year as a state representative, Fine said she was glad to be able to help pass several pieces of legislation, including the legalization of same-sex marriages in the state.

She also said she was happy to pass a bill that would raise the minimum insurance coverage required for Illinois drivers to keep up with rising medical costs.

The issue initially inspired Fine to run for office after her husband got into a car accident on his way to work in 2010.

Looking forward, Fine said she is excited about several pieces of legislation she is working on now.

One bill would aim to make higher education more affordable, and another would help doctors expedite the delivery of medication that needs prior authorization to their patients.

Myalls, who works as an assistant general counsel at Interpublic Group and an adjunct professor of communication law at DePaul University, has two children, Zack, 6, and Logan, 4.

She grew up in Northbrook and attended Glenbrook North High School. Although she hasn't been involved in politics before, Myalls currently is the president of her homeowner's association and said she has served on boards of charities, including Prevent Child Abuse America.

The three biggest issues Myalls said she is hoping to address if she wins a seat in the House of Representatives are the state's taxes, education and pension reform.

Myalls said she is worried about companies moving away from Illinois, taking away jobs from the area. She said she would favor cutting taxes for corporations and residents, or at least, not raising them.

As far as pension reform, Myalls said she believes the legislation that was passed last year is not enough to change the problem.

"We need to take a big step back," Myalls said. "The system needs to be overhauled."